Godwalkers

Articles

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What comes to mind when you think of the word walk? If you’re like most people, you’re first thoughts probably have something to do with exercise. Some people walk because they were told they needed to by their doctor. Others walk to help tone up the muscles, or at least maintain some semblance of what used to be. However, it seems when most think of walking, or endeavor to start walking, the motivation is to lose weight. Questions like, “how long do I have to walk in order counteract the extra serving of desert I at last night?” If this describes you, you may find the following calorie facts interesting. For example, to burn off one plain M&M, you would need to walk the entire length of a football field. And, who eats just “one” M&M? On average, it would take one-hour and forty-three-minutes of walking to burn off a 540-calorie Big Mac. And, if you were to get that as a Super-Sized combo with Coke and fries, you’d need to walk for seven-hours. Think about that the next time you roll up to the
drive-thru.

Believe it or not, there’s more to walking than simply burning calories and shedding a few pounds. When our son was about three-year’s old, he came down with a pretty severe cough. At first, we thought it was allergies or some type of cold. After lingering for some time, we finally took him to the doctor. They prescribed some medication, but the cough persisted well beyond the prescription. After several weeks of coughing, my wife and I decided to take him to a chiropractor. As we walked into the patient room for our appointment and sat down, the doctor said, “How long has he been congested and coughing?” We hadn’t said a word as to why we were there, nor had our son coughed once since our arrival. I looked up at the doctor and simply said, “What’s that?” To which, he responded, “We’ll he’s congested and been coughing right?” “Yes,” we answered. (I must admit this exchange was a little strange at first.) He then continue, “I could tell by the way he was walking… He’s out of alignment in an area that can cause congestion.” In short, he adjusted our son’s back and within a few days the cough was completely gone. I’ll never forget that sentence, “I could tell by the way he was walking.”

The Bible doesn’t have a lot to say about losing weight, burning calories or even chiropractors for that matter, but interestingly, it does have quite a bit to say about walking. During Bible times, people literally walked everywhere. When you entered a person’s house, one of the first things you would do is have your feet washed. Philosophers and religious teachers to the day would gather crowds as they walked from village to village. After listening, if the people liked what the teachers had to say, they would follow along behind them as the teacher walked on to the next village. In the Gospels, we see that Jesus was this type of walking teacher. Often, He would show up in a village an as crowds began to gather, He would teach. At times, He would single out an individual and simply say, “Come, follow Me.” These first disciples learned from Jesus as they walked along the roadside and ministered to people along the way. Jesus was a walking teacher, the disciples were walking learners, and their classroom was mobile in every sense of the word.

In Ancient times, walking was synonymous with who you were as a person. Your walk represented the way in which you lived – your whole life. You got everywhere you went by walking. You walk to the store and to the courthouse. You walk to your neighbors and by the stranger. You walk to the place of worship and by the place of temptation. Thus, everywhere your feet lead you, the rest of you followed along. As such, walking spoke of the totality of your personhood. Given this cultural and historical backdrop, it becomes understandable that the predominant biblical metaphor for our relationship with God is that of walking. In fact, this metaphor runs throughout all of Scripture. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul utilizes the language and image of walking as the primary way of communicating what it means to live our life with Jesus. Paul uses the word walk twenty-two times throughout his writings. Six of those times are in the little Book of Ephesians alone. Paul says things like:

• walk in newness of life. –Romans 6:4
• walk according to the Spirit. –Romans 8:4 walk as God’s masterpiece on the earth. –Ephesians 2:10
• walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. –Ephesians 4:1
• walk in love, Ephesians 5:2
• walk as children of light. –Ephesians 5:8

(Note: some of the newer translations use the word “live” instead of “walk.”)

In short, our relationship with Christ isn’t merely some private internalized set of beliefs, to which we ascribe. Rather, who we are in Christ, is authentically expressed in every arena of our lives. Everywhere our feet go, we go. And, everywhere we go, we go as if Christ were actually with us (because in reality, He is).Walking, in the Bible, is also a symbol of relationships, especially our relationship with God. This is apparent from the beginning of Scripture. You could say we were created to walk with God. Genesis 3:8, seems to indicate that each day God would actually spend time walking withAdam and Eve. Or, what about Enoch? It says, “Enoch walked God.” Some translations simply render this verse, “Enoch walked in close fellowship with God” (see Gen. 5:22-24). I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of statement I want on my gravestone some day. Scripture also says, “Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9). To Abraham God said, “Walk before me” (Gen. 17:1). This is awesome! God said to Abraham, “I want you to walk before me face-to-face, as an intimate companion and friend.” No wonder Abraham was called “the friend of God” (James 2:23).

The Old Testament Hebrew word that’s translated “walked” is halak. It speaks of intimacy, as two people living and walking hand-in-hand. When this concept is applied to our relationship with God, it dispels the false viewpoint of God as some sort of distant and detached Deity looking down on us from far above. Rather, halak conveys the truth that God is ever-present, regardless of the circumstance. God intends that our halak (our life journey) will be one of walking hand-in-hand with Him as our Creator. To walk with God, is to grow in our awareness of His present-nearness. It is to constantly communicate our thoughts, feelings and fears to Him. To walk with God is to pursue a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Him all the days of our life, in every arena of our life.

HOW’S YOUR HALAK…?

How would you describe your current walk with God? Smooth flowing and free. Static. Staccato. Growing. Thriving. What does it look like for you to walk-with God at home, among your family members? How consciously aware are you of God’s present-nearness while at work or out running errands in the community? Everywhere your feet go, there you go. Is there a sense that God is going with you? This is God’s intention that we learn to intimately walk with Him hand-in-hand, at all times and in all
places.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself
also to walk just as He walked.
-1 John 2:6